Light After the Storm
by Nefertili
Summary: Aragorn was about to be married to Arwen. Legolas was against it. It is done!
1. Ch1: Heartwrenching Memories

**Title:** **Light After the Storm, Chapter One: Heart-Wrenching Memories**

**Author: Nefertili**

**Fandom: **Lord of the Rings

**Pairing(s):** Aragorn/Legolas

**Rating: **PG

**Genre(s): **Romance, Angst

**Warning(s): **SLASH, meaning same gender relationships. If you are disturbed by this, read no further. Don't say I didn't warn you.

**Summary: **Set in Rivendell after the War of the Ring, Legolas finds out Aragorn was to marry Arwen. Now it is up to him to stop the wedding or to let Aragorn leave him forever. 

**Author's Notes: **My first time in LOTR slash, so be nice. I can accept constructive criticisms, but no flames, please. **IF YOU ARE NOT A SUPPORTER OF A-L SLASH, READ ANOTHER STORY. I don't want any Arwen supporters setting my e-mail afire. By the way, this story was written with the help of fellow authors, Isys and Saqqara.**

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If there was one thing Legolas would think as the worst moment of his life, it would surely be his present state. It stabbed him like a strong, sudden slash from a sword every time he recalled the very events. He saw them…he heard them…he knew this would happen…and now he was regretting the fact that he had done nothing to stop or at least delay it.

_Aragorn…_Legolas was grateful of the very thought of loving the Man, and earning the Man's love back. But Arwen…**was** it really a must that the Evenstar must be married to the King of Gondor? Legolas knew Aragorn loved Arwen as a sister, but that was all. Yet, Aragorn knew that the Lady Galadriel had foretold that the daughter of Elrond Peredhel would be wed to Isildur's heir. It was cruel fate, that was what it was. Nothing more.

Legolas understood the whole thing of doing what the future has set for them, of course, but recalling all the times that the two of them, Aragorn and Arwen, did together, was simply just so…_devastating._

Legolas remembered the time when he discovered what was going on. It all happened in the beautiful gardens of Rivendell, only the afternoon before the present date.

_He saw Aragorn strolling under the shade of trees…but who was that figure following him? Legolas chose to keep his presence hidden, and with the skill of his kin, quickly climbed up one particularly leafy tree, which hid him from view. The figure pushed back her hood, and Legolas immediately recognized the Elf in the hood._

_Arwen_?____

_"'Tis all set, right?" came a whisper from the Evenstar. She ran a smooth hand through her long raven hair, obviously expecting an answer from her husband-to-be._

_"What?" Aragorn asked with uncertainty, as though unsure of what to answer._

_Arwen's__ eyes flashed. "Estel, look at me," she whispered, but the force in her voice was impossible to miss. "You just declared it in front of everyone, did you not? We will be married tomorrow, exactly at __noon__. A pity Legolas was not present during your announcement. He is the only one who knows not of the excitement." Then, she seemed to smile…but something in her smirk reflected glittering malice and triumph._

_Aragorn turned to look at her. He noticed her grin. "What's with Legolas not knowing of our wedding?" Aragorn asked with a glint of irritation in his voice. "You look as though you are _pleased_ that he knows nothing about it, in fact."_

_Arwen__ was angered by what Estel told her. She didn't look remotely fair now, with the pout her face contorted into. "What do you care? I want everyone to be informed of our wedding, especially him, __the Prince of Mirkwood. Let us see how jealous our guests will be." _

_Aragorn did not respond. For someone as well-turned to emotions as Arwen, she did not notice the turmoil going on in Aragorn's body, unknown to her, Aragorn was wondering why her attitude was so different and rather strange. She never usually hopes for things just like what she just mentioned, such puzzling, pernicious things. He only put it off his mind by thinking she was just overexcited or… Nor did Arwen notice a certain moonlight-blond Elf in the trees above them, or so, as Legolas thought. For when Aragorn turned to leave, leaving Arwen behind him, the daughter of Elrond looked _directly _at the place Legolas was hiding, throwing him a derisive laugh._

_Legolas slowly leaned against the trunk of the tree, not even bothering to fathom the mystery of Arwen's attitude. He felt a little bit dazed, and a turbulence of emotions was going on inside him. He felt as though his heart was falling apart. He could feel what was going on in the son of Arathorn's mind, which was now a sea being troubled and shaken by a fierce gale._

_Aragorn had not meant to tell the Prince of Mirkwood that he was to marry Arwen._

_His great love for the Elf had kept him from telling Legolas. Aragorn did not want Legolas to suffer. He did not want to break his heart by telling him he had to marry Arwen, for he feared Legolas' life. Elves could die of a broken heart._

_But Legolas did not see what was going on in Arwen. Only seconds after Estel left, she crumpled into a heap on the ground, her slender hands clutching her head, the fingernails digging into her scalp. _

_"Noooooooooooo… please, no more…" she moaned quietly, her voice naught but a    little more than a whisper. One hand tugged at her locks of dark sepia, the other clenched and unclenched the delicate lavender cloth of her dress._

_All of a sudden, though the Prince of Mirkwood did not see nor hear it, Arwen's voice changed. It sank into a whispery and sedated voice that seemed to freeze the air about it._

_"You have to obey all that I command you to accomplish, Undomiel," it said, "if you do not wish to have a new, worse meaning of _pain._"  _

Legolas shook his head. He had avoided all company that night, the anguish inside him so intense he doubted he could live through it. _I'm glad Estel cares for me, at least, not wanting me to get…but why had I known about the wedding only now? I can't hold on, the pain is too much…He was sitting on the very same tree where he eavesdropped on Aragorn and Arwen. The tomorrow Arwen was talking about is now. The noon she was so excited about was only a few moments away._

Just then, his thoughts, his consciences, seemed to speak to him. _Why do you have to suffer so much in the hands of a mortal? one said in his mind. __He's a mortal, that Aragorn! He will end his life sooner than you think. You understand it, don't you? More pain to your part! You will regret _that you ever had feelings for him.__

Legolas thought over the statement for a while. "Was I a fool to love the Heir of Isildur? Was I foolish enough not to think of the aftermaths that might, or will befall me for loving him?"

_Who says death will put an end to what you feel for the son of Arathorn? _came another. _It is never too late, Legolas. It will pain you more to see Aragorn hurting himself by a choice like the one he chose now, I tell you. Stop their wedding! If you really love the Heir of Gondor, you will risk even your immortality to save him from all the consequences._

Even before Legolas could react, the first voice retaliated, _That's__ an absolutely foolish thing to do! What's the point of risking something so precious when you failed in the end? You will lose double what you risked. Look, the sun is ready to hit its _noon___ day zenith. Legolas Greenleaf, you are a fool to do this. _

_You will fail._

The tone and pitch of the voice was rather terrifying and disturbing; it brought a chill to Legolas' spine and formed a doubt in his mind. "Yes, I will get hurt more. Oh, how I wished the pain would just abandon me! Oh, if only there is more time…all hope has left me. They will be married at noon…if only there is more time…if only I never loved Aragorn…"

But the other voice slightly comforted him. _What are you saying? Doing your best in trying to succeed gives a different story. It will hurt less, and will give you a sense of pride. You will not be sorry if you give it a try, Legolas. It is better to do something about it rather than to just sit there, pity yourself and wait for you heart to break and die. Aragorn loves you, Legolas, and he needs you…Legolas…Legolas…_

Legolas opened his eyes and felt hard ground beneath him. "What the-?" he asked himself, shaking off all the dazed feeling. He was no longer up the tree. "What will my kin think about me? I am a descendant of the tree-dwelling Elves, what a thought if I fell off a-''

Legolas felt something fall in his blond hair. It was a dark red blossom of some sort. In his misery, he didn't even notice that the tree that sheltered him bore beautiful blooms, as red as the blood of his love for Aragorn flowing in his veins. 

A ray of light fell on his eyes, making him avoid the sun. "Oh, it's noon." Then, as though he was struck unawares by lightning, he dropped the flower he was holding. In an instant, his mind was made up. "NOON! I MUST STOP THEM! ARAGORN!"  He sped up to the ceremonial center half a mile away. He knew he seemed to act the impossible, but he felt as though it was the right thing, he had to do it, _he had to stop the wedding._

*Finis*

How do you like it? More chapters are coming up, so don't think this is the end!    


	2. Prologue

**Title: Prologue: Dark But Radiant, Morsentel**

**Author: Nefertili**

**Author's Notes: **So sorry if this one took long…balancing typing and studying is harder than expected…OK, this one is actually a brief history of…some character soon to be revealed as the story unfolds. If you read well my Chapter One, you will have some *HINT* on what this character's role is. Sorry if some terms I used here seem rather hilarious or ridiculous. I'm not so 'in' on this character's race, that's why. How could I ever thank you for your help in this chapter, Saqqara? I owe you much! J 

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Long before the uprising of Sauron or the War he and his powerful One Ring initiated, Moria was a prevailing mine still in the clutches of the Dwarf-Lords. Within these walls, if you probe with undying patience and skill, you may find a particular Dwarf isolated from his kindred, usually hiding behind the tall, majestic pillars of the mine, watching, spying, on his own kinfolk. Other Dwarves pass by him without noticing, or if they did, gave him not a thought, least of all concern. His short demeanor seems like a part of the dark wall he was huddled against, so why spare a consideration? He was only a customary and common Dwarf who is no different from his people, isn't he?   

Customary?

Common?

Don't be fooled, like his own kith and kin who took him for granted. They didn't see the sparking up of the flame in such dark and unreadable eyes that would soon bring forth the fire of disunity and turmoil in all races of Middle-Earth, particularly the line which considered Dwarves as their bane: the Elves, the Firstborn of Middle-Earth.

This particular Dwarf was Entel, his name a word meaning 'radiant', as other Dwarves called him, but he would not linger on such a name for long. For this noteworthy one was secretly planning his own rebellion against the Dwarf-Lord which took his seat in Moria.

Entel was a power-hungry individual, thus setting up a wall between him and other Dwarves, as they didn't agree with his views and his standards, which surely, undoubtedly, was excessively warlike for them to endure. He also nursed some terrible hatred for the Elves, jealousy, and envy for the Immortal Ones, how they looked down on his own family and how the Valar Iluvatar cursed his kindred into a bucolic folk dwelling in hollows and cave just because of not seeing their worth in Middle-Earth. Entel primarily tried to convince the present Dwarf-Lord to give in to his judgment that they should begin bringing down the race of the Elves so they can take control of Middle-Earth and have their share of revenge.

However, the Dwarf-Lord didn't agree to challenge the power of the Elves (Nefertili: Ahem, making a Dwarf not as discriminatory against Elves wasn't really on my list, but anyway…). According to him, it is foolishness to drive on such an act. The Elves, for sure, would not hesitate even to defend themselves, and being skilled with the bow and arrow just as Dwarves were with the axe, if they are not careful, Dwarves would later be reduced to shame and be further cursed for testing the Firstborn. The Dwarf further said conceitedly that he cannot attain orders from anyone but himself. 

Furious at being rejected, Entel soon made his prime and first purpose in life to gaining power; the more he expands his hold, the better. First he set his eyes into seizing the seat of his own mine, Khazad-dûm. With his power in his place, he will make himself unstoppable and will not allow anything to get into his way. He spied on his fellow beings, hoping to find a hint when it will be the right time to bring down the ruling Dwarf-Lord and take his seat as his own. 

When one day he thought he saw the chance, Entel, with an axe at hand crept up to the Dwarf-Lord in his hold while he was alone and falling asleep after a day's heavy load. He was just about to strike and put an end to his Lord's life when he felt several other hands take hold of his and forcibly took his weapon from him. At once, the Dwarf-Lord opened his triumphant eyes as he ordered Entel to be bound and put in prison to be tried in the High Dwarvish Council (Nefertili: Oh for heaven's sake, Saqqara, can't we give a better name for the court?) the next day.

His words were, "Long have your other Dwarves seen your alarming presence in this City, and informed me about it. I have been longing to get hold of the confirmation in order to rid you once and for all so never shall you assail me with your ruthless suggestions on how we should act again. No one but I has the power here!"

It was extensively ghastly to describe what fate the Dwarf met. After spending a cold night in a filthy and damp cell, he was placed before the highest Dwarf court in the City, where he was tried and given the punishment of torture and death by burning soon afterwards. History does not record much of Entel's persecution. It is believed that other Dwarves blinded him so never will he be able to search out again, cut off his hands so he shall never get hold of an ax or any other weapon again. Whatever it may be, Entel, as he was being led to the outside of the Gate of Moria which opens near the Woods of Lothlórien to his burning, was transmuted into a horrid being, if one would want a better word, and was no better than a bloody Orc.

Other Dwarves, including the Dwarf-Lord who ordered Entel's execution, watched him scream in pain as the flames slowly, deliberately, ate up the remnants of his ragged flesh spared from the torture, reducing them to dark ashes finer than sand. They would have thought he would have cried out for mercy and be spared, but Entel clung to his purpose of living; asking for mercy is an act of wasting power. In the end, the other Dwarves watched in an uninterested manner as the last of the flames burned Entel to ash, and left the scene one by one, no one even bothering to scatter Entel's ashes.      

But they never knew they made a mistake.

As soon as the last of the spectators left for their usual routines, a cold, freezing wind blew from the direction of Mordor, the Land of Shadow. Darkness began to cover the place of execution, a shadow the form of an imperious yet fearful Evil. Soon came a voice deep and full of malevolence that it made the nearby living greenery to shudder in fear and apprehension. It said to the seeming-worthless pile of blackish ashes heaped up in a shallow pile contrasting the grey rocks studding the gate of the mine, 

_"Arise and listen to thine master, thou, loyal servant."_

It was clear who it was: Melkor, the First Dark Lord to all Middle-Earth ruling even before the reign of Sauron. Almost at once, Entel's ashes slowly began to rise in the form of smoke until none of the ash was left; only the ghost of a minion with Dark Red eyes that shone with the Fire of the Dark Side was formed directly above its place of death. 

Renewed from his tormented body, the new minion prostrated before the shadow of the Dark Lord, saying, "I am at your command, Lord Melkor, the only Powerful One of Middle-Earth." His voice, too, had changed. Gone was that low drone that he uses for his speech; now it was whispery and deadened…like the voice of a dead person raised from the grave.

The evil voice of Melkor in heavily measured tones came back, saying, _"Now, thou shall be called Morsentel, __my very own dark minion. I have seen you crave for power when you were still so low a being, and you amused me by the way you dared to carry out thine plan. I, the One in the Dark Throne of Mordor, therefore decided that you serve me. Serve me, and I will give you all the power that that corrupted heart desires._

_Dark but Radiant you shall be; you shall overpower even the Firstborn of Middle-Earth with the power I now bestow upon you. You will be able to take the form of any being you wish to take. You shall have the power to possess the souls of each and every being on these Lands. You will be unstoppable by anyone as you live._

_But shall you serve me, the one who Renewed you?"_

Once more, the minion lowered his eyes that seemed to bridge the gap between Middle-Earth and the Netherworld. "Whatever thou command, your servant will do.''

_"I then give you the mission to destroy the silmarils and the Two Trees, the keepers of time in Middle-Earth, planted by the Valar, himself. Thou will help me gain control of even the Highest of the Elves, and thou will receive your share of revenge for the Firstborn you so hate."_

But at the same time, Melkor, in evenly measured tones filled with admonition, cautioned Morsentel to take heed about his weakness.

_By the Fire you were made to exist, _

_By the Fire, destruction, you may not resist,_

_One day you shall disappear into nothingness,_

_Just as you were during your emptiness,_

_One day he shall appear,_

_The Wielder, he to be called Mithrandir,_

_By his fire, thou shall be consumed,_

_And never shall thee, in thou glory, be resumed._

Nonetheless, Morsentel took on a carefree air about the warning and at once went with the Dark Lord to the Land of Shadow. He served Melkor faithfully until his downfall; but he was unsuccessful in his missions of obliterating the silmarils and the Two Trees, for he was not in full determination to carry out the commands of the Dark Lord. All he in actuality desired was power, and he waited patiently for the time when he might take over Middle-Earth in place of his master. 

When Sauron, with his One Ring, came to power, Morsentel waited on him and the White Wizard Saruman instead. Once or twice, he tried to take one of the Rings of Power bestowed on the races of Middle-Earth, including his past relatives, the Dwarves, but he never had the chance, as the Dwarves and Men slowly gave in to the darkness and became servants of the Dark Lord themselves. As for the Elves who bore the rings, he found out he couldn't lay a hand on them; they were too impenetrable. 

When it was Sauron who was defeated in his evil reign, Morsentel lost all sense of serving others. Once more, his old desires of gaining power came back to him. He strongly began to make use of his powers, possessing creatures, one way or another, soon setting his eyes on the remaining Elves of Middle-Earth who had not departed to the Undying Lands. Little did he know that the rival of one of his past masters, Saruman, was the One Melkor cautioned him about: the Wielder of the Flame that will lead him into destruction. About time too, as he set his eyes on Arwen, the Evenstar of Imladris and the daughter of Lord Elrond Peredhel, for him to possess in order to take control of her father's realm.

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Well…how was it? I'm not really an expert on writing history as Tolkien, so be nice. I even guess I won't get this all right if not I have _someone to tell me a brief history of Middle-Earth…also that 'morse' means dark and 'entel' radiant. So, did the concluding sentence give you a clue? *wink*       _


	3. Ch2: The Path of Love's Unevenness

**Title:** **Light After the Storm, Chapter Two: The Path of Love's Unevenness **

**Author: Nefertili**

**Fandom: **Lord of the Rings

**Pairing(s):** Aragorn/Legolas

**Rating: **PG

**Genre(s): **Romance, Angst

**Warning(s): **SLASH, meaning same gender relationships. If you are disturbed by this, read no further. Don't say I didn't warn you. There is also violence in here.

**Author's Notes: **Well, finally managed to take up my hand and type this up. Sorry for the inconvenience. I had writer's blocks and school seemed to turn into a concentration camp…Anyway, be warned, and I mean it! I'd torture Legolas here for preparation for…the next Chapter. Well, all will turn out well in the end so read on!

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Legolas rushed to Imladris' stables as fast as his Elven feet could carry him and his nearly breaking heart. He found them completely deserted save for some wizened old horse and his very own beautiful white Arod. They had all clearly left him alone to see Aragorn and Arwen's wedding in Lothlorien. Carefully but quickly, Legolas fastened the horse's bridle and seat to Arod.

"We haven't time to lose, Arod," Legolas whispered to the horse before mounting it. He led the stallion out of the stable, jumped on his back with the command, "Noro lim, noro lim!" [Run on, run on!]

At once, Arod broke into a gallop. Legolas guided him out of Rivendell to a path that would take them to the designated wedding place. They skirted across the coniferous forests blanketing the Misty Mountains, nearly invisible to the eyes of other beings because of their speed.

Legolas sat calmly on his horse and held his reins serenely, yet his heart and soul were not at rest. They were elsewhere, threatening to leave the Elf's body entirely when the time came. The Prince of Mirkwood was fathoming about the turn of events as the forest floor shuddered with the repeated pounding of Arod's hoofs.

"Why didn't anyone tell me?" he asked himself miserably. "Why didn't they even take me with them to at least see Aragorn…for the last time before Mandos claims my soul?"

Out of the blue, his thoughts were interrupted by a swiftly flying article which cut its way through Arod's path so rapidly it initiated the air around it to whistle, causing the stallion to rear up on its hind legs in surprise.

Legolas firmly held his horse's reins in order not to get thrown off as he stroked the animal's coat in an attempt to calm him down. Despite his assurances, however, it took Legolas a while to pacify Arod's nerves and to stop him rearing.

"It's gone, it's gone, whatever it is, Arod," Legolas guaranteed the horse while stroking its mane just above the ears. "Arod, you're all unharmed, are you not? Let's-AAARRRGGGHHH!'' 

The Elf was nearly thrown off balance and Arod would have started rearing off again if not he cared for the welfare of his master rider. The veering object lashed out once more from the shadows of some nearby pines and hit Legolas directly on his face. He automatically clawed at his skin, and he was dismayed to feel stinging pain from a gash that marred his features and to see his fingertips mixed with blood.

But it was not the end. The thing turned around a cypress and once more aimed for the Elf. This time, Legolas was not caught unsuspecting. He ducked the sweeping blow that might have struck him. Legolas squeezed Arod's sides as he ordered the horse frantically to run.

"Noro lim, Arod, noro lim!"

Arod need not telling twice; he had sensed the danger that was falling on him and his Elven rider. Faster than the wind, Legolas and his horse sped up deeper into the forest. They were still being pursued by the dark entity. Legolas couldn't see it directly; it was moving so quickly that its image was blurred even to Elven Eyes. Twice, the Prince of Mirkwood was caught unwary and he was knocked on his left arm and right leg. The force tore through his clothing and blood was seeping from the wounds freely. Legolas, however, was too occupied in dodging the thing's attacks to bind up his slashes and stop the bleeding. 

The creature, no matter how fiercely it struck at the Elf, did not seem tired of the chase and was far from giving it up. Arod, too, received several cuts along his shanks, but unlike Legolas', they were shallow. The pursued horse continued galloping in order to save him and his master from a more terrible fate.

Gradually, the forest began to thin and the ground even out from the mountains. But the entity continued on acting at its ferocity. Rather, it seemed furious of having not been able to inflict the Elven Prince more harm as they tried to escape the forest. Once it got the chance to strike on Legolas, it gave its all to bring the Elf down. Out of nowhere, it sprang out from the darkness and hit Legolas head-on and deliberately on his waist.

Legolas grunted in pain as he held on to Arod's reins for dear life. The attack nearly off seated him, and blood began to flow from the new wound steadily, staining both his garments and his horse's velvety coat as well.

The forest rang with the strained Elf's repeated cries of agony. The black thing had found Legolas' weakness; it had penetrated through it and left him destabilized. It took advantage of Legolas and began to speed up all the more and hit the Elf all over his body in all directions so rapidly that it all seemed to happen at the same time. When Arod finally reached the break of the forest, Legolas' body was torn on all places and his fair hair was disheveled from its braid. The creature lashed out for the last time and struck Legolas on his back, sending him moaning on the hard stone ground as he muttered Aragorn's name over and over, as though he had lost everything.

***

Halfway through the aisle, Aragorn, Arwen's hand in his, seemed to hesitate. The son of Arathorn felt as though something ripped from inside him. He didn't know if his ears were deceiving him, but he thought he heard Legolas screaming out his name, his voice strangled by great pain. 

A tug on his elbow brought Elessar back to the existing world. Arwen was pulling at him with annoyance; all the guests were staring at him with their mouths slightly open. Lord Elrond half elven, in the front row of pews, raised one of his dark eyebrows slightly.

"Anything wrong? What is keeping you?" Arwen asked more out of impatience than concern. 

"Nothing at all, Arwen," Aragorn muttered inaudibly as he continued his fateful walk, yet he didn't hear any note of the glorious wedding march or see the beauty of the temple where he was supposed to be wed. His heart and mind were fluttering out of the realm of Lothlorien to search for Legolas, his lover whom he had forsaken. 

"Arwen said he will come," Aragorn thought as his bride continued her tugging at his sleeves. "She said he only will be delayed by some business that was sorely his own. I wonder what that is…and if Arwen means her words."

***

Legolas was nudged awake by Arod. He gave a shudder as the cold wind stung his torn flesh. The attack of the…the…whatever it was, brought great strain upon his body. The wounds now inflicted all over him were more fatal than any orc wound he ever had. The creature was surely more than an orc.

Painfully, Legolas managed to stand on his feet by leaning on his horse. He looked at his surroundings carefully. There was no sign of the flying black thing they had encountered a while ago. It seemed to have disappeared back into the dark forests of the Misty Mountains that they had left behind. Near them were the gates of Moria, farther on was Durin's stone overlooking the Mirror Mere. Sooner or later, they will reach Lothlorien. 

Out of a sudden, Arod let out a frenzied, frightened neigh that alerted Legolas. He immediately looked behind him to find out what frightened his steed. It didn't take him long to find it. Directly behind them was a huge snake that cast a large shadow over them both. At first, Legolas couldn't recognize what the monster was, but an image from old books which he once studied in his homeland came to his mind and gave him the answer.

It was an Ascar-lyg, translated, means violent snake, which it really was. It was the second most feared of all Elf-banes next to the Balrog. A creature from the rebellious, evil Valar Melkor, it was a foe one would not dare face. The serpent was more than twenty feet long; it had a protective shell that left arrows and other weapons broken as they fell from the face of the monster. A sail ran over its top from head to tail, oozing poisonous grime that eats the skin bare where it touches it throughout its body. Like a cobra, it can expand its rib cage to form a rounded sail around its head. The tips of its powerful whip-like tail had sharp dagger-like edges that could snag skin to ribbons. But the most fearful of all its traits is that the Ascar-lyg possesses venomous fangs longer than an average man's palm. Green venom, which gives its victim a slow, painful death by preying slowly on its organs from the outermost until it stops the heart from beating, trickled from the fangs and out of the fearsome mouth. Legolas was stunned to find an Ascar-lyg in the Misty Mountains, as records show that such creatures had ceased to exist upon Melkor's downfall and they only could thrive in the Land of Shadow, Mordor.

There wasn't much time to speculate on the matter, as the Ascar-lyg, upon realizing it had been spotted, gave a roar so loud and high that it would have broken the eardrums of ordinary mortal men and sent Legolas' disheveled hair flying.

Legolas sprang up on Arod's back and they once more galloped in an attempt to get away from their pursuer. The Ascar-lyg was fast for its size, however, and it wouldn't be taken with so easily. It overtook the Elven steed and blocked all possible paths of escape with its poisonous body, bearing its long dagger fangs at both Elf and horse.

It was then did Legolas find out he was completely unarmed, save for the long white knife he always carried with him. He drew it shakily from its sheath, though he doubted if it would even pierce the Ascar-lyg's strong armor scales.

"Can't you let us pass?" Legolas demanded of the monster. He held his knife with one hand and Arod's reins with the other. "We have no time for this, creature of Melkor!"

The Ascar-lyg was not discouraged. It let out its earsplitting roar once more before attacking, opening its cavernous mouth wide and striking down at Legolas and his horse with venom trailing out of its horrifying teeth. Splashes of slime fell on Legolas and Arod; it brought the horse rearing and the Elf clawing at the lesions, which seemed to burn all skin it touched, leaving patches of dark, bloody sores in several parts of his body.

Legolas, amidst the pain carefully led Arod into leaping out of Ascar-lyg's reach many times. But he knew they couldn't keep on doing such. The only escape is to defeat the huge serpent, which seemed an impossible task, with all the wounds stinging in Legolas' body.

At a quarter of a second, the Prince of Mirkwood made up his mind on what to carry out. He leaped down his horse and whispered to it, "Run away, Arod, you must not get hurt!"

The horse nudged his nose on his master's face sadly; his eyes reflecting regret that it could do nothing to prevent such things. Legolas however was insistent and he comforted Arod. "You were of _great help. But you must not stay or you will be gone! Run, Arod, don't look back, don't come back! Master will be all right!"_

This time, the Ascar-lyg lashed out for the two once more. Arod finally heeded Legolas' pleadings and galloped away from the place. Legolas stayed and he maneuvered his feet skillfully to escape the thrust of the serpent. It caused him a terrible price, however. The very action caused blood to spurt from the open wounds.

The battle of the serpent and the Elf proved to be a deadly one. The Ascar-lyg was lashing out at Legolas so quickly that time came when the rocks beneath them gave way, leaving them at the banks of the Mirror Mere. Legolas clung on to all the lessons his warrior life taught him and the thought that he would win Aragorn once more; he clutched his dagger more tightly.

Legolas tried to use the chance when the rocks collapsed to escape from further damage, but the serpent was too keen-eyed. The Elf had tried to penetrate the most vulnerable parts of the monster's shield, but he knew it was hopeless. The only weak point, as far as he can see, was the Ascar-lyg's armor less underside. But how ever could he strike it there? The monster was becoming more and more aware of the Elf's gaining weakness; once more, it struck down on Legolas.

Legolas tried to muster his strength to leap up just as he had done before, but his energy deceived him. The serpent lashed down at him, and one of its deadly fangs cut through his arm, leaving a gash dripping with the venom which left Legolas pained and burning all over his body. But the devil wasn't finished. He felt as though ten metal whips struck him at once in his back when the Ascar-lyg thrashed its spiked tail at him, sending him battered amongst fallen rocks, intensifying his torments even more. 

The pained Elf could only scream with the twinge that was slowly eating through him and feeding on his remaining energy as he was slowly being drained of his life's blood. He was dying, but no, he must not, for Aragorn, for his love.

Legolas shot a glance at the Ascar-lyg, as though waiting for him to deliver the final blow, but he was surprised to see the monster struggling to regain its composure and get back upright, exposing its unprotected skin from beneath. The thrashing motion it had done before left it as such.

The Elf did not stop to think. He exerted nearly all his efforts as he grabbed his dagger once more with his good hand and with his famed ferocity, sliced through the Ascar-lyg's exposed underside from its head to its tail.

Legolas left the dagger in the monster as he ran for his escape. The Ascar-lyg began to emit screams and wails of pain and defeat. Gradually, it dulled, and finally, ceased to be. Legolas didn't look back; therefore, he didn't see how the Ascar-lyg reached its end. It first dissolved into the dark entity that attacked him and Arod in the forests of the Misty Mountains before finally dropping back into earth as ashes.

The Elf ran and ran, but he was terribly exhausted and wounded for him to continue. Legolas slumped down the grass of Lorien when his feet couldn't carry him anymore. The Ascar-lyg poison was taking effect, preying fist on his wounded arm, gradually spreading throughout his tormented body. 

Tears were on his eyes, not for his corporal pain, but for the pain in his heart. "Oh, Aragorn; am I to pass away like this, without you even dreaming of the tortures your beloved underwent for you…" His words were choked by his tears as he closed his eyes to wait for Mandos to claim him and take him away.

But instead, Legolas felt gentle nudging on his face. Legolas opened his eyes to find a horse looking at him out of curiosity. He would have thought his eyes were paying tricks or it was Arod if not for its brown coat. It was Hasufel, Aragorn's horse.

"Hasufel," Legolas croaked, reaching out to pat the horse's brow. "Your groom fell asleep from pipeweed again, didn't he?" He was forced to smile at the thought amidst the pain and the ebbing of his life's blood.

Hasufel seemed to recognize Legolas, as he immediately began to lie down beside Legolas to nudge him to mount the horse. Legolas gratefully gave in, and before he knew it, he was on horseback, riding through the mallorns of Lothlorien to his love, who would have been lost to him forever if not for Hasufel's coming.

**********

Well, that's all for now. You wouldn't know how hard it is for me to torture someone…but I assure you, HE WILL BE OKAY.          


	4. Ch3: Stop the Wedding!

**Title:** **Light After the Storm, Chapter Three: "Stop the Wedding!"**

**Author: Nefertili**

**Fandom: **Lord of the Rings

**Pairing(s):** Aragorn/Legolas

**Rating: **PG

**Genre(s): **Romance, Angst

**Warning(s): **SLASH, meaning same gender relationships. If you are disturbed by this, read no further. Don't say I didn't warn you. There is also violence in here.

**Author's Notes: **Well, well, I'm going pretty fast now. Ahem, the first line in this chapter…I have to use the words a priest uses in a wedding 'coz I am not in the mood to make mine! Well, nothing much to say but…read on!

**********

"Aragorn, son of Arathorn, do you accept Arwen Undomiel, daughter of Elrond Peredhel, as your lawful wife, to love and cherish from this day forward, till death do you part?"

Aragorn blinked several times and looked at the priest presiding his wedding then his bride Arwen. His body was in the temple, but his mind was somewhere else, therefore he hadn't found a sense on what was happening around him until now. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. _I must say yes…I must say yes…But he just couldn't. The image of Legolas flickered in his mind; no smile was on his face, only an impassive expression was shown on that fair face…save for some tears that slowly trickled down from his sapphire eyes. __I can't say it…Legolas…_

Arwen blinked her eyes repeatedly at her groom in an aristocratic manner, as though enticing him to say what he ought not to say.

"I…I…I…" Aragorn muttered, but the word, no matter how hard he tried, would not just form and come out of his mouth.

"STOP! STOP THE WEDDING!"

Aragorn reeled about, so did all the guests and Arwen, to see the keeper of the voice that gave such order. At the entrance was Legolas seated feebly on Hasufel, but he hardly looked like the Prince of Mirkwood at all. His moonlight blond hair was disheveled and out of the usually neat plaits he captured them in; he was wounded all over as though he just faced Sauron himself; his skin took on the color of a slightly grayish tint and trooped behind him were thick drops of sweat, blood and tears. His eyes were half-closed due to prolonged crying.

"Aragorn…" Legolas muttered weakly, his voice barely audible as he dismounted unsteadily from Hasufel.

"Legolas…" Elessar answered his love, taking a step forward, but he was rooted in the front of the altar by Arwen, pulling him closer to her and preventing him from doing any assistance to Legolas.

"Just you try," Arwen hissed at him, her grip on his shoulder tightening.

"Aragorn…" Legolas muttered once more. He could hardly walk; he slipped halfway through the aisle. He reached out for the heir of Gondor, who was beyond his reach. "I traveled; here flesh and blood, please, Aragorn, don't let all my trials fall into nothingness. I came here for you…you…" Legolas suddenly gasped. To everyone's horror, drops of blood fell to the carpeted ground as he coughed.

"No, stop, Legolas…"

"Aragorn, do…I…not…matter…to…you?" After every word he pronounced, he hacked up small amounts of the red liquid from his mouth and he breathed shallowly in short pants. 

Aragorn could not take it anymore to see him as such. He pushed Arwen's hands which were restraining him away and kneeled down beside Legolas. He gently took the quivering Elf in his arms, no minding whether the blood from his numerous cuts stained his garments.  

"Elessar!" Arwen hollered. "You can't be doing this! You-'' she pointed a commanding finger of hers to Legolas. "-you have not the right to be here, Greenleaf! Leave now before you force this Elven Princess to carry out an order you _really_ shall regret!" 

Astoundingly, Aragorn answered back. "That is enough! I am tired of your persistence!"

"WE ARE TIRED OF YOUR PERSISTENCE!"

Arwen looked about her carefully and demanded silently, "Who said that?"

All that remained of the Fellowship of the Ring stood up from their assigned pews, along with several of the inhabitants of Gondor, and Faramir and Éowyn, the Shield Maiden of Rohan. 

"Was your concern for your fellow people put to waste, Lady Arwen?" Gandalf said, walking out of his pew and standing between the Elven lady and the lovers. 

"Legolas is injured, can't you see…or have you really turned blind from your age?!" Gimli the dwarf added, following Gandalf's suit, his axe drawn.

"Well, _those injuries do not give him the permit to interfere in this sacred ceremony, do they, Strider?" Arwen snapped back at all those who contradicted her. She turned a haughty eye at Aragorn. A great shock awaited her; the son of Arathorn was wiping Legolas' bloody, sweat-bathed face with a golden cloth draped around his tunic. _

Arwen cried out with dismay as she ran down the stairs with her raven hair flying behind her. She pushed Gandalf and Gimli aside recklessly and grabbed the cloth from Aragorn's hands. "You are not a fool, are you? This very cloth already cost us more than what you think it does. I do not want, and it is not meant, to be used on so shameful an Elf like the one lying before you!"

Several of the guests gasped and Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn nearly stood up the moment the harsh words exploded from their granddaughter's mouth. Arwen of Imladris, insult an Elven Prince?

"That does it!" Gimli growled, brandishing his axe at Arwen. The hobbits of the Fellowship, Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin jumped from their seats held him back. They were alarmed by the threatening look Elrond, Arwen's father, had given him.

"What do thou mean, Lord Elrond?" Gandalf said, upon realizing and understanding the situation. "Arwen may be your daughter, but you would not let her go astray. You are wise enough in matters like this, I know it."

Elrond remained silent and did not answer, but he did give his daughter a piercing look that meant a warning to keep silent.

"Please, honorable guests, let us stop this misunderstanding!" Aragorn yelled above the argument so he can be heard. The whole assembly took on some silence and fixed their eyes on the heir of Isildur, carrying the bedraggled Prince Legolas face up on his lap.   

"We stumbled upon some confusion. If not for me, none of this might have happened," he said, loud enough for the whole hall to hear.

"Es…es…tel," Legolas said, choking on his own words, dashes of red escaping from his mouth.

"Shh, save your energy," Aragorn told him in an unusually tender voice, closing his love's lips with a gentle touch of his fingers. He then faced the whole crowd stationed before him, a whole crowd of heads, of different races and nations. He took his time in examining each and every corner of the place before saying, "If I were to do something for the welfare of everyone gathered here, in this hall of the heart of Elvendom on earth, I would like to take back all that I hath said the day before this present date."

Aragorn continued in a lot more stern voice, "I would like to take back what I said that I shall unite myself with Arwen of Imladris, daughter of Elrond. This ceremony is made for love, and true love at that, isn't it?"

He looked at the crowd for a reply. _"Isn't it?"_

"Yes, yes!" they all answered in unison. 

Aragorn nodded. "And so it is. I would like to express my sincere apologies to some persons now with us. First, to Lord Elrond and his daughter." He took a deep breath. "I apologize for giving you all the responsibilities in arranging for this marriage, but I…I am really sorry but my heart already belongs to someone else." Lord Elrond nodded serenely, though his face was free of all expression. Arwen got angrier all the more.

He then scanned all the guests. "Second, to all those who are invited and made it to this fateful event. Thank you for answering our invitation openly, but I apologize, for I cannot marry the Elf as mentioned today."

Aragorn closed his eyes and bowed. When he finally opened them, he stared at Legolas' face for some time. _This is not Legolas…_The Legolas he knew had the smooth, radiant face which was always brightened by a smile. No, this Legolas is different…only a mask of pain and torment.

"Lastly, to Legolas, son of Thranduil, I express my most sincere request for forgiveness." Aragorn gazed at those dimmed, pained eyes that belonged to Legolas. Judging by the despair shown in the orbs, he knew his heart was breaking, and Aragorn knew his was close to being ton as well. He spoke solemnly. "I avoided telling you about this wedding because I don't want you to break your heart. All my intentions are good; I thought it is better for you to live eternally rather than be a low mortal like me. But I was wrong. I hurt you all the more; you underwent severe trials for my sake. I broke your heart all the more. Legolas, forgive me.

I swore to myself and to all gathered now that I shall only be with the someone I love more than my life itself; I will have that someone alone. And do you know who that is, Legolas?" 

Legolas, all weak and exhausted, pain tearing all over his body, shook his head very slowly and closed his eyes to rest them for a while.

Aragorn asked the crowd. "Do you know who that is?"

When no one answered, Estel once more looked at Legolas lovingly and said, "It is you, my Legolas! It is you whom I love, no one else." He placed a calloused hand on Legolas' gashed cheek. "I love you, Legolas. I love no one else but you, from the bottom of my heart."

Legolas wasn't able to move, but a tear slid from his eye the moment he heard this declaration of love. 

"Do you not know it hurts me to see you cry, my charming Prince?"

Legolas managed to sigh with relief and closed his yes once more. More tears flowed to Aragorn's hand. He longed to hold his beloved's hand, but his own strength wasn't enough.

"Es…tel," he whispered weakly, though he meant to say I love you too.

"NO!" Arwen shrieked, pulling at her long locks. "NO! NO! NO! _Aragorn, take back what you said!"_

"You can't give me orders like that," Aragorn replied sarcastically.

Arwen was enraged to be denied her wishes. "You might be forgetting before whom you stand…" She addressed the guests, "Anyone willing to side with me for my love for the Elfstone, raise your hand!" But there wasn't a difference. There wasn't a hand in the air.

"WHAT! NOT EVEN YOU, FATHER?!"

Lord Elrond stood up from his seat and approached the aisle, where his daughter and the two lovers were. He had on an expression one couldn't read.

Legolas trembled all the more and clung to Aragorn's robes like a child to its mother. What will the Peredhel do to them? Will they receive an order for punishment, or worse, an order for them to separate?

Amazingly, Elrond did neither. He gently touched Legolas' forehead, smiled and said, "Be healed, Prince of Mirkwood."

Legolas dared to raise his hand, and he found out his strength had returned. Aragorn took the Prince's hand and touched Legolas' cheek with it. _Smooth and unblemished…He was healed._

"NO! FATHER, HOW COULD YOU?" Arwen yelled at the top of her lungs.

"What, my child? The thing that amazes me is that, how can my daughter, whom I raised up cultivated with love, turn away a wounded kin?" Elrond replied, helping Legolas and Aragorn stand on their feet.

"He's ruining my wedding, that's why."

Then, in the midst of the stricken-faced guests, Elrond did the impossible a father could do to his child. He pulled Arwen's cheek, shouting, "Let go of this mask, impostor! You are not my daughter!"

**********

What do you think is Elrond playing at? *wink, wink*


	5. Ch4: Possessions

**Title:** **Light After the Storm, Chapter Four: Possessions**

**Author: Nefertili**

**Fandom: **Lord of the Rings

**Pairing(s):** Aragorn/Legolas

**Rating: **PG

**Genre(s): **Romance, Angst

**Warning(s): **SLASH, meaning same gender relationships. If you are disturbed by this, read no further. Don't say I didn't warn you. There is also violence in here.

**Author's Notes: **OK, I'm back! Thank you, thank you a gazillion times, all my reviewers: Fire Eagle, Kat UK, Silver Faith, Marieke, poopy, Shadow41, Iara, Amethyst Bubble, nekomoongirl and all of those reviewers out there! This Chapter is for you! [Do you think I don't acknowledge you? ^_^] There's a hint of a Gandalf/Frodo here. Umm…another pain is coming to Legolas here, be prepared!

**********

Arwen screamed, attempting to go free, but her father's grip on her was strong. She replied with a bit of malice in her voice, "I am your daughter, what are you doing to me, _Father?" _True enough, no mask came off. 

Elrond reluctantly let go of the Evenstar that was his daughter. Arwen let out a relieved sigh and massaged her cheek with a look of accomplishment in her grey eyes. But she was wrong; Elrond wasn't over with her.

Her father grasped her elbow and said portentously, "You are not going to get away easily. You are not Arwen; I can feel it. If you are not wearing a mask, then you are using my daughter's body. Evil spirit, let go of her!"

When Arwen refused to answer, avoiding her father's imperious glance, Elrond called on Gandalf. "Mithrandir! Have pity on this daughter of mine! If it is your will, free her from her enslavement to this spirit!"

Suddenly, as though awakened by Elrond's words, Arwen let out a great burst of power that was clearly beyond her and managed to wrench herself from her father's grasp. With a fearful look at Gandalf, she attempted to run away.

"A possession!" Gandalf shouted and readied his spell as Elrond and Aragorn ran after Arwen, who was nearly on the door of the temple. They got hold of Arwen by her arms and pulled her back to the aisle before Gandalf. They were having a hard time doing so, as Arwen did not stop shrieking and thrashing her head and dark locks about, as though she were insane; not to mention she would not stop kicking and attempting to trip her two captors. Legolas ran towards them to help, but only to have the Elven lady strike out and wound him once more on his shoulder with her long nails.

"Please, Legolas, don't get entangled with this," Aragorn said, dodging a fling of Arwen's arm as he sought to get hold of it once more. "You've had enough of pain by now."    

Legolas simply nodded and ran behind Gandalf, running his fingers over the wound which was newly inflicted upon him. Gandalf slowly, steadily walked up to the screeching, writhing Arwen. Her hair was strewn about and her delicate silken veil was askew. The hem of her wedding dress was torn in three places; one of her sleeves had a hole in it. She was now barefoot, as she had kicked off her pearl-colored shoes in her attempts of escape. Her face was horrible and she was barely recognizable. Her lipstick smeared on her chin, making her look as though she had just sucked blood (Nefertili: Eww…do you think Arwen would make a good vampire?). The rest of her make-up mixed in several places of her face, making several peachy-gray splotches. But what really transformed the Lady from Imladris were her eyes; they burned with a fire that could frighten even experienced warriors. 

"Arwen, daughter of Elrond and Celebrían Peredhel, Evenstar of Imladris, too long have you eat in the Shadows."

Arwen let out a shriek that could have passed for a roar and bared her teeth at Gandalf. Elrond's dark hair was all over his face and his ornate tiara was off-center from his face. He held Arwen with one hand as he struggled to remove stray hairs from his eyes; they were interfering with his vision. Aragorn's hand had red teeth marks imprinted on them: a token of Arwen's bite.

Gandalf positioned his hand before the screaming tiger that was Arwen and muttered, "I release you from this spell, brought to you by the Evil Ones."

The Elf let out a final scream so loud that the temple shuddered and bits of masonry fell from the ceiling. Her body gave a violent shake as the spirit, in the form of a smoky, menacing shadow left her. She fell quiet in her father's arms.      

But instead of fading, the shadow revealed red eyes with dilated pupils like that of a cat's and before Gandalf could even do another move, it advanced towards Legolas, unaware of it.

"NO, NOT LEGOLAS!" Aragorn yelled and ran towards him. Legolas, alarmed by Aragorn's frantic scream, finally saw the spirit, but out of the pain of his new wound and of immortal fear for his soul, he stayed transfixed.

"MOVE, LEGOLAS!" 

Elessar outran the shadow and pushed Legolas aside. Before Legolas knew it, he was spread-eagled below the stairs of the altar. When he moved hi head up, he stared with horror at Aragorn, now letting out cries of indescribable pain. The King of Gondor unexpectedly silenced himself after a while. Did he overcome the spirit, or was he taken by it?

The answer came in a moment's delay. Aragorn looked up from his hands which were clawing at his scalp. His face had on a twisted smile and he turned to face Legolas with eyes that reflected a threat, the way they saw Arwen moments ago.

This, however, didn't stop Legolas from approaching him. "Aragorn, are you all right?" Legolas stood up, but as he tried to comfort the son of Arathorn, a sharp slap hit his cheek, leaving a red mark in its wake. Legolas fell to the floor because of the force of the blow.

Someone in the crowd shouted, "You're out of your mind!" The crowd gasped in revulsion as Aragorn laughed and stood up before Legolas, stepping on one of his hands. Legolas instinctively pulled it away from him with fear. Wait a moment…he looked like Aragorn, but that voice wasn't his. It was more of like a cross between the hiss of a snake and the roar of a lion. 

"Ha!" the spirit in Estel's body sneered. "How easily I went in here! Much easier to tackle with than the daughter of the half elven…A weak soul, eh? I was even able to take over his voice! Is this the heir of Isildur? I'd bet his people will _fail, now that he's their King!"_

"Who are you?" Gandalf demanded of the ghost, brandishing his staff at him. "Reveal yourself!"

Aragorn smirked even more and raised an eyebrow as he said, "And you, Gandalf Graybeard? I've heard of you, the old, bent, crooked wizey who keeps on forgetting his spells!"

"That's not true!" Frodo suddenly yelled back. "Gandalf is no wizey who doesn't give undivided attention to his spells!"

"Aye, what have we here? Frodo, the son of Drogo!" The spirit sneered. "What a funny name you and your father have!"

Frodo boiled with anger. "You don't dare insult my name or my father's!"

This time, Arwen was beginning to be conscious again. When she awoke, her first reaction was to be suspicious of herself in her father's arms.

"What…what happened to me?" she muttered, looking about her. 

"Hush, my child, you were possessed," Elrond told her.

Arwen asked several more questions until she finally saw Aragorn with Legolas cowering at his feet.

"Aragorn, why is your voice like that? Legolas, what happened to you? Your clothes are torn…and you have a sore spot on your cheek!"

She, unaware of what happened to him, approached Aragorn. Legolas tried to warn her, but she continued.

"Estel," she said, reaching out for the heir of Gondor. "Really, what's wrong with-''

SMACK! Arwen fell to the floor beside Legolas. This time, Elrond wasn't able to take it standing there, watching Aragorn inflict harm on two of his kindred. He drew his sword from its sheath and advanced towards Aragorn. Legolas and Arwen sensed danger and they crawled quickly from the impending fight between Elrond and Elessar.         

Elrond raised his sword in attack, but Aragorn dodged the blade, laughing spitefully. Aragorn got hold of a leg of the nearest pew, sending the frightened guests rushing away from him as he tore it from the rest of the seat, producing a pointed shard. He shot it at Elrond, who ducked as well. The piece of wood attached itself to the wooden temple door in perfect target, as though it were a metal pin attracted to a magnet. 

Once more, Elrond sent his weapon lashing at Aragorn, this time nearly wounding his waist. Furious, Aragorn crouched and managed to trip Elrond from his feet. As he made a fist and tried to knock his opponent on the face, Elrond moved his head sharply to the side and using his free hand that was not clutching his sword, he swerved his arm in order to swing Aragorn away from him. The force left Aragorn sprawling on his back on the floor just as Elrond stood up and pointed the blade of the sword on Aragorn's throat.

This time, between short gasps, the spirit said, "Go ahead, Half elven! Kill this body! Kill Aragorn, the son of Arathorn as well! You would have left the job clean and made it easier for me!"

Alarmed by this, Legolas went between Aragorn and Elrond, who automatically lowered his blade. "No, Lord Elrond!" the Prince of Mirkwood pleaded with the Lord of Rivendell.

But he was prevented from saying more words by…Aragorn himself! He was pulling his blond hair, disheveling it more than ever.

"Aragorn is such a fool for his pains for what he did," Estel-or the spirit-said, pulling at his hair so rigidly that Legolas let out a single gasp of pain and surprise. So hard, the son of Arathorn pulled atthe Prince's moonlight blond locks; that he seemed to have detached them from the scalp of Legolas    

"Only fools would have the guts to do what he did, standing up for an Elf like you. I couldn't put to mind that _he _could give up his life for such a creature as you are!" Aragorn lowered his head near Legolas' pointed ears to directly say the insulting words to him. He was so close to Legolas' face that the Elf can feel his warm breath biting at his pale skin.

"Stop it, Estel!" Arwen said.

"There's no use talking to him now," Elrond told her even before the Evenstar of the Elves could further act. He held her shoulders firmly to stop her from moving towards Aragorn and Legolas. Her transformation was seen clearly now, as tears were running down her grey eyes to her cheeks in despair for her kith and kin.

Legolas dared to look at Aragorn, whose face was beside his now. Those steely grey eyes that looked back at him were expressionless…merciless…evil, if there are better words to describe them. Legolas wondered, and it pained him to do so if this was really Aragorn. Is this the same Aragorn who cradled him in his arms a moment earlier? Is this Aragorn, who swore to him he love him and him alone? The Aragorn who could not lift a finger to harm him, but would even come to his aid if he had the chance or not…? As all the questions formulated in Legolas' mind, once more, a tear slipped down from his eye. He knew, try as hard as he might, he could not dare to have ill feelings toward Aragorn, his love, no matter, despite all that he did. 

Out of a sudden, he felt the grip of Aragorn on his hair loosen and his eye soften. Elessar opened his mouth. 

"Legola-'' 

It was his normal voice that carried his lover's name halfway! But that moment of hope ended as swiftly as it had started. Aragorn threw Legolas towards Gandalf's direction and cried out. Of what reason, one cannot be certain. He was clutching his head as he thrashed about just as Arwen had done earlier. Now the menacing voice was back.

**********

Okay, how was the action? I'm not exactly an expert at writing about swordfights or wrestling, so I kept the part on that short. What would you think will happen next? Will Legolas be in Aragorn's embrace again?


	6. Ch5: Triumph over Morsentel

**Title:** **Light After the Storm, Chapter Five: The Triumph over Morsentel**

**Author: Nefertili**

**Fandom: **Lord of the Rings

**Pairing(s):** Aragorn/Legolas

**Rating: **PG

**Genre(s): **Romance, Angst

**Warning(s): **SLASH, meaning same gender relationships. If you are disturbed by this, read no further. Don't say I didn't warn you. There is also violence in here.

**Author's notes: **Yes! We're nearing the end! Look at the title again. Did you read the prologue? If you did, you'd surely have a heck on what's about to happen. And by the way, Amethyst Bubble, thanks for the review on my Chapter Four! I only do cliffhangers when they are necessary, but I give my best in them, anyway!

**********

"The fault is all mine…the fault is all mine…" Legolas said between stifled sobs as he let Gandalf gently stroke his back in reassurance. "If only I were more aware…" Legolas wasn't able to finish his statement. Aragorn would not have been possessed if not for his foolishness and ignorance. Legolas felt totally at fault. 

"No," he heard Gandalf's voice endowed with wisdom say to him as comfortingly as possible. "Do not despair for mistakes that are not under your responsibility. Do not put all the blame entirely to yourself, Prince Legolas. Look at King Elessar."

Legolas gradually raised his head, as though frightened of what his eyes will behold. But he found out it was not all that heart-stabbing as he thought it would. He saw Aragorn in a way he had never seen him before. Aragorn seemed to be fighting with himself; his voice shifting from his own to the monstrous creature's…the way it was with Sméagol and Gollum. 

"Let go of my body!" the real heir of Isildur's voice said with determination present in his words. 

"You're indeed a lot more difficult to come to grips with than I've thought, Ranger!" the spirit said in a rather irritated tone. It was evident that there was rather some desperation in the tone as well.

"LET ME GO FREE!"

"Aragorn…" was all Legolas managed to say at first, his voice a mixture of wonder and dread. Slowly but surely, his eyes widened with understanding. "He is fighting the spirit…when I never saw Arwen successfully do so!"

"That will make it easier for me," Gandalf agreed with the prince of Mirkwood, fingering his staff readily.

It would have been easier for Gandalf to dispel of the spirit, yes. But before he could do another move, the worst shock awaited them. Aragorn was suddenly holding a knife he had drawn from within his clothing; he looked ready to strike himself.

"If my life is what you need to be rid of, then so be it!" Aragorn cried out. "I cannot let you inflict further harm to my beloved!"

Legolas was struck by the words just as lightning struck a dry forest and setting it afire. There he was, Aragorn, doing all means to triumph over the spirit, for the sake of his love, Legolas. He was even willing to give up his life for the Elven Prince.

But the spirit seemed to be determined not to give up the war for Aragorn's body. He was able to paralyze the Man's arm that was holding the knife, so sharp and deadly, to avoid him from imposing any more harm to himself. "I'm not as easy to be defeated as you think, son of Arathorn! Give up or you shall not survive the fight!"

Aragorn, of course, had some enough pride in himself for him to be inspired not to give up easily, now that Legolas was involved. With his strength of will, he still managed to move his paralyzed arm amidst the spirit's control. _"If this is all that you can do, Evil Being, then you're finished!"_

The multitude gathered inside the temple let out a cry of horror when Aragorn almost struck himself on his heart. He would have died right then and there if not the fraught spirit gave its all in having Aragorn once more in control; it could not force Aragorn to drop the dagger, however.      

"No, King Elessar, he should not do it," Gandalf said worriedly. "He will, in the end, kill himself if he continues in his resolution; yet the spirit cannot be killed by metal. It will continue to live its existence and possess more innocent souls."

Legolas looked at Aragorn for a while. He was writhing, suffering, for he was slowly being devoured by the evil entity. He might not be able to survive it further if he wasn't given the aid. Legolas looked around him. They all were consisted of every race and nation of Middle Earth that took part in the overthrowing of the Dark Lord Sauron: Elves, hobbits, Men and a handful of Dwarves. He couldn't let them fall to the same fate as Aragorn and Arwen. He looked at his arm which was healed of the Ascar-lyg venom. He remembered all he underwent to go thus far. He couldn't just watch him, for whom he gladly risked his life and his immortality, fall into the darkness, farther and farther from his reach. In an instant, his mind was made up. 

Looking at Gandalf steadily, Legolas said with firmness in his voice, "If that is what should befall if he should fail…we convince Aragorn to let go of the knife he carries and you are to do your job, Gandalf."

Gandalf, however, answered him rather hopelessly, "Alas, my lord, the King of Gondor could only hear the spirit's orders. He is kept away from the rest of us and the existing world by it…to be under his domination…to rob him of emotions so he will not be able to intervene with its works."

Legolas bit his lip, but his eyes were set. "Then if that is the case…I will take the knife from Aragorn. When that happens, do what you must do, Mithrandir. We cannot leave him alone to overcome it!"

"That's not a good scheme!" Gimli said suddenly, rushing to Legolas' side. "Let me do it! It's just like stepping into the halls of suicide just as that!"

"Bad if it is bad, Gimli, I don't care what you say…I don't care what befalls me anymore!" Legolas said in reply. Without further ado, Legolas stood up and ran towards the thrashing Aragorn. In no time at all, he was holding the dagger with his love.

Aragorn, upon seeing what was happening, said to warn Legolas, though he couldn't hear his lover, "Legolas! Leave this to me…You'll hurt yourself!"

His voice abruptly shifted into the spirit's, now furious and angry than it had ever been, "You again! I'll have to get rid of you, my hindrance, once and for all!"

"Evil One, I can never let you lay your hands on him!" Aragorn shouted back.

But the spirit really proved powerful. As swift as a flash, he, using Aragorn's weary arms, swung Legolas to the marble wall at some distance from them.

The force was terrible; the wall cracked and shuddered when Legolas hit it with his back. He stayed in the same position for a while, his eyes dazed and out of focus. 

"Es-tel," was the name that sputtered out of his mouth before his eyes closed and he collided with the floor with a smash as he finally blacked out.

"NO!" Aragorn cried, fearing that the worst had fallen on his beloved. He attempted to come near Legolas and assist him, awaken him, but the spirit was against all this, forcing him to stay where he was.

"You are not helping him, mortal," it said.

"NO! LEGOLAS, LOVE, HEAR ME!"

"Keep silent!"

This time, Aragorn had enough of his enslavement. Before he knew it, he had mustered all his will and the strength of his soul as he shouted, "How dare you, Evil One!? You made me, of all the persons, inflict harm to my _melethron__! RELEASE YOUR GRASP ON MY BODY AND SOUL; NEVER RETURN!" (Nefertili: Melethron, if you don't know, means male lover in the tongue of the Elves.)_

A shiver ran through Aragorn's body as the black spirit wasn't able to maintain his grasp on the King of Gondor, forcing it to leave his body. Gandalf took his aim with his staff.

"Receive the Flame of Arnor, Minion!" Gandalf said imperiously as a great flash of light escaped from his staff, obliterating the spirit. With a last shriek of defeat and defiance, it dissolved like wisps of falling dark snowflake and frost, its evil vanishing with it, leaving not a trace of its existence. 

A great cheer erupted from the crowd upon the destruction of the Evil thing.

_"The King of Gondor relieved himself from the spirit all by himself…he's more than what we think he is!"_

However, it did not take long for the cheer to die out. Aragorn slowly stepped towards the fallen form of Legolas, which was crumpled in a heap at the base of the cracked wall. Gradually, he took the limp figure of Legolas in his arms and embraces him tightly to his chest. Estel was in point of fact crying and gasping over Legolas' pale head, which he cradled lovingly in his arms.

Seeing this, all that remained of the Fellowship, Elrond and his daughter Arwen gathered around them.

"If not for my foolishness, this wouldn't have come to pass!" Arwen whispered. "Oh, Legolas, talk to us!"

"You were possessed, my Lady, you were not in control of yourself. It was not you to blame," Gandalf answered her.

"But…but it happened when I, along with Father's Elves were helping pick the white roses which were for the wedding…and…and-''

"We will hear the whole story later, Arwen, along with what had hindered Legolas before he came here," Aragorn said as he stroked the Elven Prince's disheveled hair in an attempt to awake him, but it proved in vain; Legolas did not stir. "Legolas, please hear me…you have to be all right. You are in my arms now…you have long wanted it, haven't you, love?"

"Oh…is he…" Arwen said, her voice quivering with concern.

"No, he's alive, daughter," Elrond said, taking Legolas' wrist and feeling his pulse. The healer sighed. "But barely. He was laid bare to the enemy even before I healed him. He's extremely weakened…even Elves are hit hard by throws like such he hath just received…"

"But shall he live?" Aragorn asked him anxiously, grasping Legolas' other hand. There was not much warmth in his hand.

"He will be."

Elrond once more put his hand on Legolas' forehead; muttered a chant in the language of the Elves then raised his hand. After a few moments of waiting with held breaths, the company breathed with relief when Legolas' eyes fluttered open and he breathed normally once more. His face was now back to the color of life that was entirely his own.

"Legolas, welcome back!" Aragorn said, rubbing his head against Legolas' moonlight blond hair.

Legolas smiled weakly and looked back at Aragorn with an expression of joy that was too intense to be described.

This time, Mithrandir stood up tall and said, "Now I put forward that we discuss what had come to pass with all the details. However, I suggest that you all wash yourselves from the dust and dirt that fell on this day before we do so. Especially the Prince of Mirkwood, as he had suffered the most in this long day. What was once hidden shall be put to light tomorrow…"

**********

So, what do you think is the truth behind the happenings? And how Aragorn and Legolas will end this story?


	7. Ch6: The Light After the Storm

**Title: Chapter Six: The Light After the Storm **

**Author: Nefertili**

**Fandom: **Lord of the Rings

**Pairing(s):** Aragorn/Legolas

**Rating: **PG

**Genre(s): **Romance, Angst

**Warning(s): **SLASH, meaning same gender relationships. If you are disturbed by this, read no further. Don't say I didn't warn you.

**Author's Notes: **Okay, people, this is the last of it. It seemed only yesterday that I came up with the idea of Morsentel, slash and…But what a beginning has an end, right? Yeah, yeah…Mme. Nefertili, the Queen of the Didactics…Well, see how this story ends! By the way, the lines at the end of the story are from a song entitled…I'm not sure if it's 'When You Walk through a Storm' or 'At the End of the Storm'…so if you know the title, please tell me, K? Thanks!

**********

_The sun never shined so brightly, _Legolas thought as he faced the Anar from the open space between the mallorns. It was the day after the fateful 'wedding' of Aragorn and Arwen; a day after the worst trials and when he faced Mandos himself upon the brink of his heartbreak. Now, gone were the traces of his sufferings. His torn clothes which were streaked with blood and Ascar-lyg venom were discarded. Lady Galadriel had given him new clothing out of generosity. Now he was wearing a soft tunic made of a light blue-white material and dark leggings similar to what the galadhrim wore. His hair, however, he let down, reaching beyond his shoulder blades; and he looked different from the war-torn Legolas that tackled bane of the Elves and was wounded by several attacks of stray minions.

"Legolas?" a voice asked him from behind. 

The Prince of Mirkwood turned around slowly. He was facing Aragorn, who smiled back at him. "You're beautiful, my Legolas, you really are."

Legolas merely laughed out of courtesy. "As are you, Aragorn." He quickly glanced at the son of Arathorn from head to foot. He looked different as well; he looked just like he was whenever Legolas pictured him: clad in leggings and a tunic that are both dark-colored with his flashing grey eyes; only he seemed to have washed himself. _Aye, a miracle…Aragorn washed himself…Legolas thought to himself, and it made him giggle._

Aragorn looked at Legolas for a while then glanced at himself, as though becoming self-conscious. "Do I look peculiar, Legolas?" 

Legolas managed to suppress his laughter as he replied, "No, no, don't get me wrong. You look _fine, _beloved."

Aragorn breathed a sigh of relief. How could he ever doubt Legolas? He then held out his hand for Legolas to grasp as he said, "I would just like to tell you, Mithrandir and the others are waiting for us."

"Oh, I remember now," Legolas replied, his smile vanishing slightly. "We are to talk about what came to pass…"

As they walked towards the meeting place, Aragorn said to Legolas, "I understand completely why you wish that it be left behind…but I guess we need to understand…" He broke off uncertainly. Legolas knew that Aragorn was still feeling the guilt of what he did to Legolas when he was in the grasp of the demon. 

"Yes, you're right," Legolas assured him, giving his arm a loving stroke to attempt to relieve Aragorn of his shame. "Do not think bad thoughts now, please?"

"If you wish it, be it so."

**********

When Legolas and Aragorn arrived in the circular platform which was positioned on top of one of the mallorns, they found out that Gandalf, Arwen and Elrond, the ones who were most involved in the happenings besides them, already took their seats in a close circle. Arwen was now fully relieved of her possession. She smiled at the two as they took their seats on the two remaining chairs in the circle. The change in her was astounding; the fire in her eyes was gone and she was simply garbed in a silvery dress, though she still looked rather weary. Elrond sat still in his usual autumn robes which stood out in the mallorn's grey bark, though he left his tiara in his quarters; his face in its serious, wise expression. Gandalf, being a wizard of highest rank, was in all white; his staff, he carried in one strong hand. 

Finally, they were complete, and Gandalf said, "It is true that not entirely all evil can be vanquished from this earth as long as we live. They still live in our mistakes and doubts, though this particular creature we managed to defeat on the day before now is still a powerful minion which used to serve the Dark Lord…Dark _Lords_ in fact."

Elrond spoke up, "He served more than one Dark Lord? You mean Sauron and the first of all the Evil Lords, Melkor?"

"Yes, my Lord, but before we get to that, let's hear from Legolas what befell him before he arrived in the temple yesterday, that left him in the limits of his life."

Aragorn shot a glance at Legolas, who sat beside him. The Prince of Mirkwood closed his eyes for a while to recover the painful memory and he narrated to all gathered all that he had encountered on his way to his triumph. About the attack of the veering object in the woods with his horse Arod, about having to face an Ascar-lyg, in which he paid a terrible price of nearly losing his immortal life, and finally of Aragorn's horse, Hasufel's rescue.

Having finished his narrative, Legolas concluded, "That is why I came to the temple in such a way as you saw me…"

The council was silent for a moment before Elrond spoke up, "Ascar-lyg venom…I see. I could not recognize what poison attacked the body of the Prince of Mirkwood at first. My reasons are that this is the first case in which I encountered someone which hath the effects of the monster's poison. The poisonous green liquid remaining in the wound on your arm, Legolas," he told directly to the Elven Prince, "when I approached you gave me a hint that it was that of an Ascar-lyg…and I was afraid that if I do not act, you would have slipped from our grasp for all eternity. Your skin was already in the tint of grey, and that gave me a conclusion that the poison has already penetrated too deeply in you to be removed. Thanks to Hasufel, you came earlier."

"Ascar-lyg, you say, Legolas?" Aragorn asked. "How could that be? No Ascar-lyg has been seen since the downfall of the Dark Lord Melkor. Being his one of his demons he created for his own satisfaction, they cannot live without him…and out of his dark land at that."

"Now enters the story of Morsentel," Gandalf said as an answer to Aragorn's question.

"Morsentel?" Legolas and Elrond asked together. 

"The spirit's name," Arwen said barely more than a whisper. It was clear that she was frightened by the mere mentioning of the name of the creature that possessed her.    

"He will reveal to you his identity once he gets hold of your body," Aragorn added. After a pause, he said, "He showed his entire past…and it was not exactly something that ought to be listened to if you want a lively conversation."

Gandalf nodded. "When I dispatched him with the flame of Arnor, it was as though he replayed to me the story of his life by the means of images…just as Aragorn said earlier. I came to understand that the veering object Legolas said attacked him and his horse in the forests of the Misty Mountains, the Ascar-lyg whose appearance seemed impossible…and the spirit that laid his hands of the bodies of the Evenstar and the King of Gondor, are one."

"Pardon me, Mithrandir, but I do not understand," Legolas said.

"To receive your answer, listen carefully," Gandalf replied. "This particular spirit was a dwarf once…living in the realm of Moria…when evil was still away from the mine. Even in his early years before he became a minion, he resented Elves far beyond reason. Because the Valar Iluvatar cursed his people…the Elves consider Dwarves as lower beings…things like that. He tried to convince his Dwarf-Lord that they start having their revenge on the Firstborn. But he was not in the side of luck, as no one agreed to his views. 

Now Entel, as he was called before, became rebellious even to his own kindred. It came to the point that he was tortured and burned when he tried to seize the throne of Moria. But his acts sparked up the interest of the Dark Lord Melkor; after his death, Melkor got hold of his spirit and converted it into a minion with powerful dark magic for his own service, giving it a new name of Morsentel."

"And that dark magic is to possess beings…not only Elves and Men," Elrond said wisely.

"Yes, Lord Elrond," Gandalf said, nodding with accord. "Not only that. Morsentel was given the ability to 'split' his minion-soul so he can be in many places at the same time. Those powers were given to him on a mission that he destroys the silmarils and the Two Trees of the Valar, the timekeepers of Middle-Earth. 

Morsentel was not successful in doing any of the missions assigned to him by the earlier Dark Lord. For what reasons? Probably because he wished that he use the power only for his own will; to quench his thirst for the bloodshed of the Elves. Now it happened that Lord Melkor was defeated, and in his place stood Sauron and Saruman. Morsentel then shifted his service to his new masters. When we defeated both of them in the War of the Ring, Morsentel was left in anarchy. He therefore lost all sense of serving and he used his powers recklessly, looking back at his past hatred for the Elves." Gandalf then looked at Elrond gravely. "He planned to take over Rivendell. Yet he knew you were too powerful to be touched by his own magic, as you possess Vilya, one of the Elven rings of power." 

Elrond touched the blue stone of his ring. It was indeed one of the rings of power that were given to the Elves. Vilya, the Ring of air, belonged to Gil-galad before him, just as Gandalf's Narya, the Ring of fire, used to belong to Círdan. "So he took over my daughter in my stead," he said in realization. "How did it come to be, Arwen?"

It was now Arwen's turn to speak. She seemed a lot stronger as she said, "It happened when, as I tried to say yesterday, I was picking white roses along with several of our servants for the wedding. Extremely engrossed, I was with what I am doing that I did not notice I had wandered too far. As I gathered up all the blossoms that I had picked so I can go back, a black shadow just loomed behind me. I was alarmed by it, but as I tried to look behind me, Morsentel took over me.      

It was terrible. If one were possessed, one would lose all sense of time and memory temporarily. I don't know what happened…of what I was thinking of or how I tried to fight him away…all he allowed me to sense and remember was what he replayed to me about his life, just as Gandalf had said." She sighed at the memory. "So painful…every time I try to drive him out of me, I would only be thrown back upon myself. His words bring pain to the soul…tormenting one slowly until one finally succumbs to his power."

"In, short, he takes your soul to be his as well," Gandalf said. "That is how Morsentel becomes so powerful. He lives on the collected emotions and powers of all that he took, not to mention all the evil he nurses in him. And as a parasite to his host, he will soon abandon the body, he being more powerful then before, and the host's soul is lost to him…all his existence is history."

A gloom fell over the council the moment Gandalf said the horrifying fate of those who are not strong enough to resist Morsentel.

Aragorn then said, "What stuns me is how come I was able to repel Morsentel when the Evenstar, a stronger entity, being an Elf wasn't able to do so until Gandalf released her from the bond?"

This time, Legolas spoke out after a long period of silence. "Gandalf said the spinning thing that attacked me in the forest, the Ascar-lyg and Morsentel are one, or at least a part of each other. If they are pieces of Morsentel's demon-soul…then when I defeated the Ascar-lyg, a part of him was vanquished as well. That made him weaker and easier to defeat."

Gandalf nodded, "Could not have explained it better, Prince Legolas. A great part of him was thrown out of existence when thou defeated the Ascar-lyg. In fact, I saw that the thing of the forest just took the form of the great serpent when it got the chance."

Elrond then asked Gandalf, "If the demon is that strong…why was he overpowered by the flame of Arnor?"

Gandalf then said, "Old references to the chant of Melkor in which he cautioned Morsentel of his weakness. It goes as such:

_By the Fire you were made to exist, _

_By the Fire, destruction, you may not resist,_

_One day you shall disappear into nothingness,_

_Just as you were during your emptiness,_

_One day he shall appear,_

_The Wielder, he to be called Mithrandir,_

_By his fire, thou shall be consumed,_

_And never shall thee, in thou glory, be resumed._

But it seems Morsentel's ignorance is his true weakness, as he did not pay heed to the warning. He hath forgotten it, if I am not mistaken, even before Sauron came to power."

The council lapsed into silence.

After a while, Gandalf said, "If no one has further questions on the happenings, then this council is put to a close."

All the members of the little council nodded and stood up from their seats. One by one, they departed by the stairs which span around the mallorn so they can go down the talan. Legolas heard Aragorn mutter to himself as he went down last, "Hasufel once more escaped from his stable, eh? I guess he needs a new groom…one that does not fall asleep out of pipeweed."

When they all were down the mallorn, Elrond suddenly took Arwen aside and said, "I hope you understand the matter, but Aragorn loves Legolas…"

"Yes, Father," she replied with a smile. Then she looked at Aragorn. "You know what, Estel? If only you have told me before, I would have given all my support to you."

"Arwen?" Aragorn asked, surprised.

"I know now, Estel. I wouldn't want to get in the way of your true love. Legolas is the one meant for you."

**********

Later that day, when the shades of dusk are falling over Lothlórien, the rising moon found Aragorn and Legolas strolling side by side under the shade of the mallorns. 

"Legolas…it will forever be on my conscience all that I did to you yesterday…" Aragorn found himself saying to Legolas. "I slapped you…I hurt you with both my words and my-''             

"Hush, leave that behind, my love," Legolas said, putting a finger over Aragorn's mouth to silence him. "The past is gone. You are with me. I shall never put to mind that you inflicted me harm…you even risked your life and your soul for me."

Aragorn smiled and placed an arm around Legolas, who rested his head on his love's shoulder as he held Aragorn's free hand, grasping it tightly. Aragorn smelled his lover's hair, so fragrant and soft like sweet incense and silk. Then he remembered something. 

"Legolas?"

"Yes, Estel?" Legolas replied, looking back at him. A flash of moonbeam fell on his eyes, and it made his eyes appear like the clearest blue crystal. 

Aragorn drank in Legolas' beautiful image before whispering, "If you think I don't know how you felt when you suffered before you arrived in Lothlórien, think twice, love. I actually heard you crying out to me just as Arwen and I were walking down the aisle. It's my greatest regret if you implored my help yet I was not there to do so."

Legolas smiled understandingly. He touched Aragorn's cheek gently as he replied, "Our bond made you hear me. I'm sorry if ever I worried you, love." 

"It's all right, Legolas," Aragorn replied. Gently pushing Legolas to the base of a nearby mallorn as he held his wrists tightly, he placed a loving kiss on Legolas' forehead, gradually moving down to his temples, his cheeks, and finally, his lips. He then began sucking at the Elf's lower lip, then after a while, moved to the upper one. 

Legolas allowed himself to be taken by Aragorn, and he longed to encircle his arms around his neck, but Aragorn's grasping them, pushing them against the smooth mallorn bark as the son of Arathorn pressed himself dangerously closer to Legolas. "Amin mela lle, Aragorn. I'll always love you." Legolas said breathlessly after he broke the kiss.

"I love you too. I know you do…my Legolas…" Aragorn breathed as he steadily moved down to Legolas' smooth neck, tasting the salt of the sweat that was breaking out on his warm skin. He moved up to Legolas' pointed ears and nipped at them lightly, sending a gasp of surprise from Legolas' mouth. 

"Estel! Not this time, Aragorn, please…" Legolas pleaded in a hoarse whisper, breathing in gasps. His hands were still imprisoned in Aragorn's hold as he was sandwiched between the tree and his love; his chest was heaving as though he went to fight an Ascar-lyg again. "Not this time…"

"Oh," Aragorn said, letting go of his strong grasp on his love, but nevertheless, he still kept his arms around Legolas' waist. He looked rather disappointed. But he smiled afterwards. "Then let it be, my love. I want you so…"

Legolas had to smile at Aragorn's hunger for him, yet he held Aragorn's hand as they resumed their walk. In a time, they reached a break in the forest. There stood an expanse of water, splitting the forest in two. The path ended in a silvery bridge that sparkled in the moonlight, spanning across the blue barrier. 

"Shall we cross?" Aragorn asked Legolas mischievously. 

Legolas nodded, though he didn't miss the playful tone in Aragorn's voice. When they reached the middle of the bridge, Aragorn pulled him to a halt. 

Legolas looked at Aragorn in amazement. "What's wrong, Estel?"

"Look at the moon," Aragorn said. "See how beautiful she is."

Legolas laughed slightly, but he still looked at the side of the bridge, were Aragorn pointed. He gave another gasp. The moon, shining like pure mithril, reflected over the water. The moon looked as though it had tripled in its size, and it was surrounded by a faint crown of wispy night clouds and stars. There were also numerous fireflies, stars on the earth, on the scene, brightening the blue environment with their golden light.   

"Yes…" Legolas whispered, grasping the ledge of the bridge to admire the beauty and magic of the scene. He then felt Aragorn place his arms around his waist and rest his head on his shoulder.

"Yet they are not as beautiful as you are, melethron," Aragorn said, grasping one of Legolas hands. His voice then took on some emotion as he continued, "I am nothing without you. I pledge my love to you, Legolas Greenleaf…We shall beat the odds…nothing is impossible."

"Everything is possible, Estel…nothing can now separate us…and there's always a bright sun shining after the storm…"

Legolas gradually moved his head towards Aragorn's face, and their lips met once more, with only the moon, the fireflies and their light as the witnesses of the love they shared with one another.

_At the end of the storm,_

_Is a golden sky,_

_And a sweet silver song of the lark…___

_Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart,_

_And you'll never walk alone,_

_You'll never walk alone…_

**********

*curtain closes* Aww…is that nice? Thanks for the reviews, hope you liked my story!


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